My local brewery is on FIRE!

graphicgeek80 · May 29, 2008

I can't believe it! My local brewery, The FX Matt Brewery maker of Saranac beers, is engulfed in flames right now. I think I could cry.

Lets hope all the firefighters and employees are safe. I knew you guys would feel my pain.

surfbrewer · May 29, 2008

As a firefighter I have to say that I love going to fires (our joy unfortunately is usually somebody elses misery) but when its your local brewery, now that's just not right. I also hope everyone is well and can only say thankfully you homebrew.

boo boo · May 29, 2008

What are you doing on here? Quick, run over and pee on it.

Seriously, that sucks. Sorry to hear about it.

RodfatherX · May 29, 2008

We don't need no water let the Mofo Burn?

olllllo · May 29, 2008

FX Matt would be a big loss.

Trencher · May 29, 2008

Oh dear God, say it ain't so!! Saranac was my introduction to good beer, and their new Imperial IPA and Imperial Stout have given me new respect for them after expanding my horizons.

Maybe we should take up a collection for them. Seriously.

Soulive · May 29, 2008

****, that means Brooklyn will be in trouble. Hope everyone's ok first and foremost...

blue77 · May 29, 2008

Trencher said:
Oh dear God, say it ain't so!! Saranac was my introduction to good beer, and their new Imperial IPA and Imperial Stout have given me new respect for them after expanding my horizons.

Same here...the Saranac variety pack broke my craft beer cherry. I hope that everybody is okay.

I think I'll go to the beer store to load up on Saranac.

Revvy · May 29, 2008

There's a video of it on this news site.

http://www.wktv.com/news/local/19366949.html

Here's the direct link for the video javascript:openPopup('%2Fr?19=9...width=800,height=630,screenx=15,screeny=15');

*sigh*

Loweface · May 29, 2008

Every Cloud... Silver lining...

Maybe you can get some commercial equipment out of this?!?

(I do hope everyone is ok)

The Drizzle · May 29, 2008

Aww man, maybe I should run to KeyFoods and grab some Saranac.

mr_goodwrench · May 29, 2008

I was in the backyard practicing soccer with my daughter when SWMBO called me inside. She rewound the news to show my the tragedy. Hope nobody is hurt and they didn't sustain too much damage. I have always enjoyed Saranac brews particularly their pale ale and black & tan. In fact, right there on my key chain is my trusty Saranac bottle opener...

graphicgeek80 · May 29, 2008

To anyone interested it appears to mainly be their bottling facility. If you have taken the tour there are multiple complexes. So hopefully only their bottling capabilities and some stores will be lost. Time will tell.

EdWort · May 29, 2008

I hope he has good insurance!

zythos · May 29, 2008

Man I love Saranac! That's horrible news. They call it a "bump in the road" though. Hope they're ok.

Arneba28 · May 29, 2008

This sucks. I am a firefighter and this would kill me, Get to do a job I love for a beverage I love. I would bet every true beer loving fireman down there is doing his best. I love there Black Forest!!!

JohnA111 · May 29, 2008

I just saw this on the news here in Rochester... and I wanted to cry too. The news stated it as a "total loss" as the roof collapsed into the three story building and adjacent buildings burned. Horrible. Just horrible. I never LOVED Saranac, but it was damn fine beer - always reliable for their IPA, Pale Ale, Nut Brown, Season's best, etc. What a shame.

sittingturbo · May 29, 2008

Are you sure you didn't set it because the brewery was cutting in on your hops supply?
hehe

Sorry, but to be serious thats a bummer. Keep us updated.

brewt00l · May 30, 2008

UTICA, N.Y. Crews continued to fight a massive fire at a popular brewery in the City of Utica. The fire erupted at the FX Matt Brewery around 5 p.m. Thursday, starting in the second floor bottling room.

Police evacuated several blocks around the brewery because the fire was believed to be ammonia based. The large amount of smoke was due to burning cardboard and plastics.

The fire marshall said this type of fire is difficult to control.

All of the brewery employees made it out safely, but two were treated for smoke inhalation.

http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/117066/fire-at-fx-matt-brewery/Default.aspx

Warrior · May 30, 2008

brewt00l said:
UTICA, N.Y. Crews continued to fight a massive fire at a popular brewery in the City of Utica. The fire erupted at the FX Matt Brewery around 5 p.m. Thursday, starting in the second floor bottling room.

Police evacuated several blocks around the brewery because the fire was believed to be ammonia based. The large amount of smoke was due to burning cardboard and plastics.

The fire marshall said this type of fire is difficult to control.

All of the brewery employees made it out safely, but two were treated for smoke inhalation.

http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/117066/fire-at-fx-matt-brewery/Default.aspx

That's some bad news, luckily no one was hurt. I like their 12 beers that they put out every christmas. I hope that the fire wasn't too bad and that the brewery workers are not out of work too long.

bradsul · May 30, 2008

Another thread with some discussion here.

brewt00l · May 30, 2008

bradsul said:
Another thread with some discussion here.

interesting, that thread did not show up the two searches I did (matt & saranac) this morning....mods, feel free to combine or delete this thread.

Revvy · May 30, 2008

The latest video update is here.

http://www.wktv.com/news/local/19366949.html

Click on the watch the video link)

brewt00l · May 30, 2008

Revvy said:
The latest video update is here.

http://www.wktv.com/news/local/19366949.html

Click on the watch the video link)

here too
http://www.wtvh.com/news/local/19368124.html

There's a high potential the bottle building will be a total loss," Beck said. "Everything has been shut down at this time."

"We will rebuild. We've been in business 120 years," Matt said. "This is a speed bump."

bottleopener · Jun 10, 2008

Excellent, a thread full of Saranac fans.

Can anyone point me in the direction of any Saranac Ale clone recipes?

RoaringBrewer · Jun 11, 2008

Visited FX Matt last fall on a Syracuse/Utica brewtour. Was definitely the best of the breweries/micros we visited and we hit Syracuse Suds, Middle Ages, Empire, etc. etc. on the trip. It was the highlight of the trip other than Blue Tusk and Clark's Ale House in Syracuse (both on the Top 100 place to grab a beer)... We grabbed probably 5 pints each after the $5 tour b/c there was a stein event going on and it was basically "open bar" despite the tickets they gave out.

Here's some pics I took of FX while on the trip-
Tasting Room:

Some other sideroom on the tour:

SWMBO by Safety sign - glad all the folks got out alive!:

Parts of the brewery (tbc):

RoaringBrewer · Jun 11, 2008

continued:

Brewery/tanks:

Store:

My haul (the soda was great!):

RoaringBrewer · Jun 11, 2008

Exterior:

Cool Saranac sign - he was right on 120 years!:

Think thats all I got...

todd_k · Jun 24, 2008

last I heard bottling will be back up June 30th while canning has been outsourced to a brewery in Rochester. The brewery is still having tours and will still be having Saranac Thursdays.
This place is the reason I got into microbrews and homebrewing. I was so happy to hear the Matt's comments on their employees and the future of the brewery. F.X. would be proud! :mug:

northernjerry · Feb 21, 2009

I always get Saranac when visiting family back there. Always dependable.

nvr2low · Feb 25, 2009

i remember this, my friend from back home was emailing me about it, he could see the smoke from his place. thank god all ended well!

My local brewery is on FIRE!

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